Mosquito Joe is yet another in a slowly growing list of franchises looking to expand to the Battle Creek area.

The company provides mosquito control services to both residential and commercial properties.

Currently, Mosquito Joe operates in 32 states, but it is expanding to include Wisconsin and Connecticut in 2018 alongside expanding in the states in which it already has a presence.

"Mosquitoes are a problem everywhere," said Mosquito Joe Brand President Lou Schager. "Even in a seasonal environment like Michigan where you have bitterly cold winters, mosquito eggs can survive, and in spring they hatch, and they’re a nuisance, so there’s a demand for our services. We have franchises operating now in Michigan, but there’s room for more."

"Battle Creek falls into the same categories as the rest of Michigan," Schager said. "Beautiful area, lot of lakes, lots of water, great for mosquitoes, very active and thriving. Battle Creek is as great an opportunity as any area in Michigan."

There is a franchisee that serviced in Battle Creek in 2017, but the company is looking for another franchisee to join that, Schager said.

Contact Natasha Blakely at (269) 223-0114 or nblakely@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @blakelynat.